Cultivator.



L. E. WATEYRM'AN.

CULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION 11151) on. 12, 1911.

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CULTIVATOR. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12'. \911.

Patented Oot.17,1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ome LEWIS E. WATERMAN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO EMERSON-IBRANTINGHAM COMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS;

CULTIVATOR.

Specification of Letters-Patent. Patented 0 013, 17, 1916,

Application filedOctober 12, 191i. Serial No. 654,401.

the use of dodger cultivators, that in those types in general use inwhich the wheels and shovel-beams are angled in different relation orsingly, the dodging of an obstacle by shifting the cultivator withrespect to the line of draft results in a strained operation, the wheelsacting in resistance to the shovels, which generally results in thewheels Skid. ding. This resistance adds to the draft of the cultivator,and the skidding causes faulty cultivation.

In my invention I aim, primarily, to pro.-

vide a dodger cultivator along such lines' that its wheels andshovel-beams may be instantaneously angled to the line of draft inunison to effect immediate shifting ofthe cultivator in the desireddirection and With absolutely no added resistance to the draft.

' I also aim to provide seat supporting means movable in unison with thewheels and shovels and in such manner that the seat moves to the side ofthe row of plants opposite to that toward which the cultivator is guidedby angling the wheels and wherein the driver may use practically hiswhole body in a natural side swinging movement to easily effect thisoperation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cultivator of thelightest possible draft.

It is obvious that where the weight of the driver and the gangs isbalanced against the tongue, the farther the seat and gangs extend tothe rear of the-machine the greater is the load on the wheels, andconsequently the heavier is the draft. It is obvious that the closer therelation of the drivers seat and of the gangs with respect to the wheelaxle, the less will be the raft. Moreover,

' if the gangs are so mounted as to be raised and lowered withoutaffecting the balancing of the machine, the draft will obviously befurther lightened With these considera tions in view my inventionprovides a novel arrangement and construction of shovelbeams,supporting-wheels, and seat, wherein the beams are raised and lowered ina perpendicular movement, that is maintained at all times in ahorizontally disposed plane, and wherein the seat may be locatedrelatively close to the supporting-wheel axle.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a novel shovel-beamsupporting and operating means. for permitting all of the shovels to beraised and lowered uniformly and for permitting the working depth of theshovels to be uniformly adjusted by simply adjusting the lower limit ofmovement of the beam.

, WVith these objects in view and the object of obtaining acultivatorofthe lightest p0ssible draft,'I have provided a pair ofquadrilateral frames substantially in the form'of parallelograms, toeach of which frames is connected a sh0vel-beam,,the arrangement beingsuch that the beams will be raised perpendicularly and be movable abouta vertical axis intermediate their ends. Another object is to providemeans for carrying the shovels in such manner that when they are inworking position in the ground their tendency will be to hold suchposition and to have a strong and POSI.

tive suction, as contrasted with the operationof the shovels carried bybeams pivotally mounted at their forward ends, in which case the shovels.float and are more apt to shift to the surface and not permit theshovels to be maintained scoured.

Another object is to provide one set of levers adjustable for limitingthe working depth of the shovels and an independent set for raising andlowering theshovels, whereby the shovels may be raised and lowered asoften as desired without inter-' fering with the set position of thelevers determining the working depth.

More particularly, I provide hand-levers for adjusting and determiningthe working depth and foot-levers for raising and loweriinglthe shovels.I

ave alsoaimed to provide a cultivator of a narrow tread, yet one capableof work ing on fields having rows of plants relatively far apart, andalso in gardens or fields where the plants are in relatively close rows.This is effected, primarily, by the novel shovel-beam supporting andoperating mechanism and the particular arrangement and construction ofthe various parts.

By moving the shovel-beams vertically while maintained in a horizontalplane as aforementioned, surface blades or sweeps connected to the beamsmay be used'to ex cellent advantage. These blade knife-like shovelslying in substantially a horizontal plane operate just beneath thesurface of the ground, and if when adjusting the beam to differentdepths, the beam is not moved uniformly in a vertical direction saidblades will be positioned out of their proper working angle and will notoperate effectively. This is another object for moving the shovelbeamsuniformly perpendicularly as above described.

Other objects and many of the inherent advantages of this invention willbe apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to thefollowing description, when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan'view of a cultivator embodying my invention, portionsof the cultivator being broken away and in section. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection taken longitudinally and centrally through the cultivator. Fig.3 is a transverse vertical section through one of the wheel supports.Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of a bracket to which the forward end ofa beam is connected. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the adjustable connectionbetween the rear end of the tongue and the frame. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a link upon which a foot-lever fulcrums. Fig. 7 is aplan view of the cultivator showing the wheels and beams angled withrespect to the line of draft. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view inperspective of a footlever and its connection with the beam-supportingmeans; and Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of the lower end of one of thehand-levers.

By reference to the drawings, it will be seen that the frame of thecultivator comprises a transverse bar 1 to the outer ends of which arebolted brackets 2 each formed with a depending vertical-axis tubularsection or bracket bearing 3. Hounds a are fixedly attached to the bar1, extending forwardly therefrom; and a tongue 5 interposed between thehounds is pivotally connected therewith on a horizontal axis. The tongueis further connected to the frame through the intermediary of anadjustable connection comprising a toothed segmentbracket 6 fixedlyconnected to the rear end of the tongue and a hand-lever 7 pivotallyconnected at its lower end through link 8 to the cross-bar 1, andintermediate itsends to the segment-bracket 6, the hand-levers beingequipped with the usual manually operated latch for engaging the segmentteeth.

By adjustment ofthe lever 7 the rear end of the tongue may be rockedvertically to level the frame. Brace-rods 18 connect the tubular section3 with the hounds 4:. Each of the sections 3 forms a vertical-axisbearing bracket upon which is mounted in an associated manner asupporting-wheel and shovel-beam, and since the construction of thesedevices is substantially identical, a de tailed description of one,which is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, will suffice for anunderstanding of both. Journaled within the section 3 is a shaft 9 theouter ends of which extend beyond the ends of the section. Upon thelower end of the shaft is fixedly mounted an axle-support 10 providedwith a horizontal sleeve-bearing 11. Aroller-bearing 17 is interposedbetween the adjoining ends of the section 3 and axle-support 10 tofacili tate swinging of the wheelsupport on its vertical axis. Acrank-axle with its axle 12 journaled in the sleeve 11 which is securedin the axle support 10 has its crank-arm 13 extending forwardly thereofand terminat ing in a horizontal crank end 14 parallel with the axle 12.A supporting-wheel 15 is journaled upon the sleeve 11 and is held inconnection with the axle support through the cap-coupling 16. It will beevident that the members 10, 11 and the crank axle 12 con stitute asupporting means connected with the shaft 9 so as to swing as anentirety about the axis of the bearing bracket 3. F ixedly mounted onthe upper end of the shaft 9 is a toothed segment-bracket 19 arranged ina plane parallel with that of the crank-arm 18. A hand-lever 20pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon bracket 19 is provided withthe usual catch engagement with the toothed segment. Bars 21 and 22 arepivotally connected at one end to the crank-end l4 and the segmentbracket 19, respectively, and pivotally connected together at theiropposite ends in such manner as toform a parallelogram frame clearlyshown in Fig. 2, comprising bar 21, bar 22, crank-arm 13, and the framesection 3 and axlesupport. A pivotal connection of the bar 21 with thecrankend 14 will be more thoroughly described hereinafter. By thisconstruction it isevident that the vertical bar 21 of the parallelogramframe has a parl the movable sides of the parallelogram frame. It willbe seen that the lever when set with its forward end lowered serves asmeans for limiting the lowered position of said frame sides whilepermitting the same to be raised at any time independently of the lever.

A shovel-beam supporting-bracket shown in Fig. 4 having a tubularportion 23 journaled on the crank end 14, is formed with a radiallyextending beam-receiving portion 25 to which is bolted a shovel-carryingbeam 2%. Mounted upon the beam are a plurality of shovels 26 which maybe of any suitable or preferred form. A shovel is also mounted on theinner end of the bracket 23 it being the foremost shovel as clearlyshown in Figs. 1 and 2, and operating forward of the carrying-wheelaxle. The bracket 23 is formed with an upright extension 38 to which isbolted the lower end of the bar 21, whereby the beam is held preferablyat right angles with respect thereto and maintained in ahorizontalposition. It is through this bracket 23 that the bar 21 is pivotallyconnected to the crank-portion 14 as aforementioned. A foot-rest 27clamped to the bracket 23 is adapted to be operated to swing thebeam-carrying means and supportingwheels as a unit laterally about thevertical axis of shaft 9. A foot-lever 28 of general U-shape with sidesof different lengths as clearly shown in Fig. 8, has the end of itsshorter side fulcrumed on the link 30 which is pivoted to an extensionof the axle supe port. The cross-end of the foot-lever is pivotallyconnected to ears 29 which are connected with the bracket 23, and thelonger side of said lever extends rearwardly to within reach of thedriver. By pressing down on the rear end of the foot-lever the crank 13may be rocked to raise and lower the shovel beam.

To each of the axle-supports 10 is bolted a rearwardly extending bar 33,and the rear ends of these bars are connected by a crossbar 32, the samebeing hingedly connected at its ends to the bars 33. A seat 31 ismounted upon the cross-bar 32. By this construction it will be manifestthat the supporting-wheel and shovel-beam mounted as a unit at each sideof the frame are connected so as to swing in'unison upon theirrespective axes. It will also be noted that this construction permitsthe driver to be seated relatively close to the wheel axles.-

Any suitable draft means may be employed, it being preferable to connectsuch draft means directly to the forward ends of the cultivator shovelbeams. In the present instance, I have shown merely for the purpose ofconveying a clear understanding of the,

operation of my improved cultivator a draft means comprising an,evener-bar, pendants 35' and swingle trees 36, the pendants beinglowering the shovel-beam. These operating mechanisms when oscillated,that is, swung on their respective axes and angled relative to the lineof draft, move in unison and in parallel relation because of theirconnection through the seat supporting means. It will also be apparentthat a novel means for supporting and operating a shovel-beam isprovided in the form of the quadrilateral frame pivoted at its corners.By this means the shovel-beam will be maintained in a hori zontal planewhile in its working position and while being raised and lowered. By

carrying the'shovels all at an even distance below the beam as shown inFig. 2, the beam may be lowered to operate all of the shovels at auniform depth. In raising and lowering-the beam the shovels will beoperated evenly. When it is desired to adjust the working depth, it willbe seen that by raising and lowering a beam all of the shovels will bemoved an equal distance.

When cultivating, the hand-levers 20 are set to determine the desiredWorking depth,

of the shovels, and having once set the shovels the operator may raiseand lower the beams by the foot levers as often as necessary withoutdisturbing the setting'of the hand-levers. To angle the cultivator toeither side the operator pushes forward on V the foot rest 27 located atthe side of the 1 cultivator toward which he wishes to shift,

and at the same time moves his body in the opposite direction as acounteraction to the foot movement. This is easy to accomplish and isnot fatiguing because of the strong body muscles used and the littleeffort necessary. Since each associated wheel and beam shifts in unisonabout an axls centrally d1sposed relatively thereto, whlch ax1s is also1ntermediate the total working length of the shovels of the beam, thecultivator will travel immediately to the desired side and withoutincreasing the draft. These features are very desirable because theypermit quick and easy shifting of the cultivator without skidding orincrease in the draft thereof.

When the shovelsare in the ground in working position, the crank-arm 13will be forwardly and downwardly inclined. Since the shovel-beam ispivotally connected'to ,7

the forward end of said'crank-arm and held from swingin on its pivot bthe bar 21, the suction o the shovels wil. increasingly lee urge thecrank-arm downwardly, thereby insuring that the shovels operate theirfull set depth and be kept scoured. lVhen raising the beam, which occursmost generally at the ends ofthe rows, the foot-levers 28 are presseddownwardlyby the operator, This action will swing the cranks 13 upon thewheel-axles and raise the bar 21 in a vertical plane, thus raising thebeams maintained in a horizontal plane because of the relation andconnection of said beams with said bars. Thus all the shovels of eachbeam will be raised from the ground at the same time and with littleeffort because of the particular leverage arrangements of the raisingmeans.

My invention and its mode of operation will be clearly understood fromthe foregoing, and it will be obvious that while I have illustrated myinvention as embodied in a single-row cultivator, the invention might beadapted to a multi-row cultivator, and that various changes andmodifications inthe details of construction illustrated and describedmay be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a cultivator, the combination with. a frame, of awheel-support including, a shaft journaled thereon in a vertical axisand having a lower substantially horizontal sleeve, a wheel axlejournaled in the sleeve and having a crank, earth-agitating meansmounted on the crank independently of the frame, a link pivoted on theupper end of the shaft and having a connection with the crank, and alever for actuating the link to swing the crank vertically.

2. In a cultivator, the combination with a frame having verticalsleeves, of vertical shafts journaled in the sleeves, wheel-sup portsfixed to the lower ends of the shafts and having horizontal sleeveportions, cranked axles journaled in said sleeve portions, leversmounted on the upper ends of the shafts and rotatable therewith, saidlevers having link connections with the axle cranks for swinging thesame vertically, supporting bars fixed to the wheel supports, and

foot levers, connected to the wheel-supports and to the cranks forswinging the same vertically.

3. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame having a vertical axisbearing bracket at each side thereof, supporting means joun naled ineach bearing, a supporting-wheel mounted on each supporting means, asubstantially vertical bar pivotally connected at its upper and lowerends by links to each of said supporting means whereby the bar may swingvertically, earth-agitating means fixedly connected with the lower endof each of said bars, means for raising and lowering said bars, andmeans connecting the said supporting means whereby the wheels,earthagitating means and said bars may swing in unison about the axes ofthe supporting means.

4. In a cultivator, the combination of a quadrilateral frame pivoted atits corners, having on one of its sides a stationary frame element andits opposite side so arranged that it will swing perpendicularly, ashovelbeam connected with said perpendicularly movable side, and meansfor raising and lowering the movable side of the quadrilateral frame.

5. In a cultivator, the combination of a quadrilateral frame pivoted atits corners, and having on one side a stationary frame element, ashovel-beam connected with movable sides of the quadrilateral frame, alever for limiting the lower position of said sides, and means forraising and lowering said sides.

6. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a carrying-wheel mountedat each side of the frame to oscillate on a separate vertical axis, acrank connected with each wheel to oscillate therewith, each crank beingpivoted on a horizontal axis and arranged with its crank arm extendingforwardly from its axis and provided with an inwardly extendinghorizontally disposed arm, a cultivator-beam mounted on each of saidhorizontal arms, cultivating devices carried by each beam including acultivating device at the rear end offset to the outer side of eachbeam, a cultivating device mounted on each horizontal crank arm offsetto the inner side of its beam, and means for swinging the crank arms ontheir pivots to raise and lower the beams.

7. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, an axle-support mountedat each side of the frame to oscillate on an upright axis, an axlejournaled in said axle-support and formed with a crank, asupporting-wheel for each axle, a cultivating device mounted on theouter end of each crank so as to be niovable vertically by swinging thesame on its axle portion, and foot-operated means mounted upon andsustained by each axle support and connected with the crank thereof forswinging the same vertically.

8. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a supporting meansmounted at each side of the frame to oscillate on an upright axis, awheel and a cultivating device mounted on each supporting means tooscillate therewith, each cultivating device being movablevertically'with respect to its supporting means, and foot-operated meansmounted upon and movable laterally with each supporting means andconnected with the cultivating device thereof for moving the samevertically.

9. In a cultivator, the combination of supporting means mounted tooscillate on an upright axis, a wheel and a crank member mounted on saidmeans to oscillate therewith, the crank member being pivoted on ahorizontal axis and extending forwardly therefrom, a cultivating deviceconnected with the forward end of the crank member so as to be raisedand lowered thereby, and a foot-lever pivotally mounted upon andsustained by said supporting means and connected with the outer end ofthe crank member whereby to swing the same vertically. I

10. In a cultivator, the combination of supporting-means mounted tooscillate upon an upright axis, a wheel and a crank mem ber mounted onsaid means to oscillate there- 'with, the crank being pivoted on ahorizontal axis and extending forwardly therefrom, a cultivating deviceconnected with the outer end of the crank member, and foot-operatedmeans pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said supporting meansand connected at its forward end with the outer end .of the said crankmember and being operable at its rear end for swinging the said crankmember on its pivot.

11. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a crank member mountedthereon to turn on an upright and a horizontal axis and extendingforwardly from the latter, a cultivating device connected with theforward end of said crank member so as to be raised and lowered andswung laterally thereby, and a footlever fulcrumed intermediate its endsin connection with the crank member so as to oscillate therewith andconnected at its forward end with the corresponding end of the crankmember whereby the foot lever may be operated at its rear end to movethe cultivating device vertically.

12. In a cultivator, the combinationof a crank member and a foot leverarranged in juxtaposition and mounted to oscillate together on anupright axis and to swing on a 1 horizontal axis, the crank memberextending forwardly from its horizontal axis and being connected withthe foot lever, and a cultivating device connected with the outer end ofthe crank member so as to be raised and lowered thereby upon operationof the foot lever.

13. In a cultivator, the combination of a horizontally disposed crankmember mounted to oscillate on an upright axis and a horizontal axis andextending forwardly from the latter, a cultivating device connected withthe forward end of said crank member so as to be movable verticallythereby, means for oscillating the crank member to move the cultivatingdevice laterally, and footoperated means connected with the crank memberand being operable at the rear of the horizontal axis thereof for movingthe crank member and likewise the cultivating device vertically.

14. In a cultivator, cultivating-deviceoperating means mounted tooscillate on an upright axis and on a horizontal axis intermediate itsfront and rear ends, and a cultivating device connected to the forwardend of said means so as to be raised and lowered and moved laterallythereby, the said means being foot operable at its rear end for rockingsaid means on its horizontal axis to move the cultivating devicevertically.

15. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, an upright journalbearing secured thereto, a shaft journaled in said bearing, a.

bracket mounted on the lower end of said shaft so as to turn on the axisthereof, an

ment thereof, and foot-operated means mounted on the bracket andconnected with the outer end of the crank member for moving the samevertically independently of the said hand lever.

16. In a cultivator, the combination of a quadrilateral frame pivoted atits corners,

one side of the frame being a vertically disposed, relatively stationaryelement and its opposite side being movable vertically with respectthereto, a cultivating device connected with said movable side so as tobe raised and lowered thereby, and a bell-crank lever mounted inuxtaposition to the upper member of said frame and having one armcooperating with a toothed segment and its other arm with said uppermember so as to swing the same and likewise the cultivating devicevertically.

17. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a crank member mountedthereon to oscillate on an upright and a horizontal axis and having atits outer end a horizontally extending arm, a bracket journaled thereonand provided with an upstanding arm, a cultivator-beam fixedly securedto said bracket, and means secured to said upstanding arm maintainingthe cultivatorbeam substantially horizontal and being operable to swingthe crank member on its upright axis for angling the cultivator-beam tothe line of draft.

18. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a crank member mountedthereon to oscillate on an upright and a horizontal axis and having atits outer end a horizontally extending arm, a bracket journaled on saidarm, a cultivating device mounted on said bracket, a cultivator beamsecured, to the bracket laterally of said cultivating device,

a cultivating device mounted on said beam, means for swinging the crankmember vertically to raise and lower the cultivating devices, and meansfor swinging the crank member on its upright axis to angle saidcultivating devices to the line of draft.

19. In a cultivator, the combination of a quadrilateral frame pivoted atits corners, certain of its sides being arranged in upright position andone of these being a relatively stationary element so that its oppositeside disposed forwardly thereof may swing vertically with respectthereto, a horizontally disposed cultivator beam fixedly connected withthe lower portion of said movable upright frame member, means permittingthe said movable member to swing horizontally on an upright axissubstantially coincident with its opposite frame member, and meansforcontrolling the vertical and in raised position, said. hand lever beingmovable to a set position independently of said frame to move a stopassociated therewith to a position for limiting lowering movement of theframe.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LEVIS E. lVATERMAN.

Witnesses A. O. BEHEL, E. D.E. N. BEHEL.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

